


Dark Obsession

by LoveIsGone



Category: Big Bang (Band)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Stalking, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-15 21:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8073079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveIsGone/pseuds/LoveIsGone
Summary: Jiyong has a stalker whose actions grow bolder and bolder in an attempt to get closer.
(Cross post at AFF)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Slight AU as this is intended to be set during the years when they still shared a dorm.

His palms were sweaty as he stood outside the door.

He had been waiting for so long, too long just to get this close.

He raised his hand and knocked forcefully on the door, trying to stop his heart from racing in his chest.

He could hear someone approaching, a voice filled with annoyance called out, "I said I'd be right back, you didn't have to--"

His heart dropped into his stomach when the door opened, revealing someone he hadn't expected. He stared for several seconds, his brain unable to process what had just transpired. _It's not him._

"Oh! Um... can I help you?"

_He's seen my face._ Beads of sweat began to form on his scalp. It wasn't happening the way he had envisioned. This wasn't who he had been waiting for.

"Are you looking for someone?"

He knew it was too late to walk away.

His hand shot out, grabbing for the unwanted boy's throat. _It's too late to turn back now._


	2. Chapter One

Jiyong didn't want to open the letters that were placed before him on the kitchen table. All he wanted to do was finish eating his breakfast and get back to the company building so they could get in more time to finish up their new routine. He wanted to make sure that the moves stuck - all of them muscle memory - by the time they were scheduled to perform in front of an actual audiance.

_Is that so much to ask?_ he wondered as he took another bite of buttered toast.

"Fan mail?" Youngbae asked, coming up behind him and grabbing one of the bright red envelopes from the pile. The older boy looked at the item curiously, raising his eyebrow at Jiyong as there were several envelopes that looked exactly the same laid out on the table.

"I think they're all from the same person," the leader grumbled, taking another bite of toast, slowly chewing and glaring at the items set before him.

They had started to appear sporadically over the past several months. At first he was flattered, knowing that he could have such an affect on their fans. But more recently, he was starting to hate their appearance in the boxes that they received from the company.

"You don't sound 0thrilled," the other boy commented, plucking the last piece of toast off of Jiyong's plate.

"Hey!" he tried to snatch back what was his from the older boy, but Youngbae was already smiling around a giant bite of the stolen bread, "You're awful."

"You love me."

Jiyong rolled his eyes as he placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands, "I'm not flattered because these letters keep coming. At first I thought it was sweet, a little naive maybe. I thought it would stop but more kept showing up, like someone's writing me love letters day in and day out. Besides..."

"What?"

"They started off kind of mushy, but recently... I haven't been able to bring myself to read them."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"What's what supposed to mean?" the two boys turned from their place at the table to see their maknae approaching, ever eager to get in on an interesting conversation. The youngest boy's eyes were immediately draw to the items on the table, "Fan mail?"

"Don't get excited, they're all for our precious leader," Youngbae teased, poking said boy in the ribs.

"Stop!" Jiyong swatted away his friend's hands, glaring.

Seungri, always curious, picked up one of the letters and proceeded open it. Before the leader could stop him, he was already reading aloud, mimicking a high pitched schoolgirl voice, "My Jiyong! How I wish I can be with you, so that I can touch your face and smell your hair! My Jiyong, I can't wait until I have you in my..."

Youngbae gave the maknae a look, noticing how the younger boy's brows were furrowed in confusion as his voice trailed off, but his eyes kept scanning the page. Jiyong simply sighed, wondering if he could somehow disappear into the floor if he wished it hard enough.

"Hyung, this is really... weird. It's actually kind of creepy, to be honest," Seungri made a face, one of distaste as he flipped through the pages that were attached.

The leader ripped the letter out of the younger boy's hands and crumpled it up, annoyance and embarrassment making his face burn hot, "This is exactly what I meant, Youngbae. These stupid letters are getting weird and I don't like it!"

"I'm just going to wake the others," the youngest said, already backing away, having realized that the situation was about to get awkward and made as quick of an exit as possible.

Jiyong grabbed all the letters, at least a dozen in total from just the last week alone, and threw them in the garbage. He made sure to shove them as far down as they would go, hoping the other garbage would cover it. Even just seeing the bright colored envelopes made a feeling of irritation surface.

"That bad?" Youngbae asked.

"Yeah."

-

"You need to sharpen those movements at the end, Daesung," Jiyong huffed, striding to the center of the practice room to demonstrate, "Make the motions snap."

The younger boy was concentrating, trying to take in the moves, Jiyong knew this, but he couldn't help but feel frustrated. They already had a few broadcasts lined up, including award shows, several of them back to back.

They _had_ to be perfect.

"Hey, are you even listening?" the leader snapped his fingers in the younger boy's face.

"Yes, hyung. I'll try harder," Daesung answered, a flush of color rushing to his cheeks.

"Come on, lighten up," Seunghyun placed a hand on Jiyong's shoulder, a calming presence, gripping him firmly, "It's getting late. We're all tired."

"We wouldn't still be here if _they_ can just get it right," the leader pointed to the two youngest.

"What did _I_ do?" Seungri asked in disbelief.

"You're the worst out of everyone! You can't ever get _anything_ right because all you know how to do is act like a damn child!"

The maknae shrank back at those words, a look of hurt clear and present across his features. But as quickly as those furrowed brows and frown lines appeared, they were gone, Seungri's face becoming an unreadable mask. In that moment, the leader knew he had gone too far, unable to take back the words.

"Jiyong!" This time it was Youngbae placing a hand on his shoulder, trying to ground him, "Stop."

The maknae lowered his head, voice whisper soft, "Sorry, hyung."

And Jiyong felt like an absolute ass.

-

Daesung and Seungri seemed to both have mutually agreed to storm into their rooms once they arrived home, their doors practically slamming in unison, making the older boys flinch. Jiyong couldn't help but feel even more like an ass, seeing the way his dongsaengs were avoiding him, practically running away from him.

"Don't be so harsh with them," Youngbae said, taking his hat off to scratch at his scalp, unsure of what else to say.

"What even was that back there?" Seunghyun asked, throwing his duffle bag on the couch.

"Please don't tell me it's about those fan letters," Youngbae said.

"Fan letters?" the oldest asked, looking at the leader expectantly.

Jiyong made a sound of frustration. He really didn't want to talk about it, "Guys, I really do not want to do this right now."

Seunghyun looked like he was about to say something, but Youngbae stopped him with a shake of his head. The rapper put up his hands and shook his head in disbelief as he strode toward the room he shared with Daesung and Youngbae.

Jiyong looked at his oldest friend for a long moment, wanting to say something - anything - but the words wouldn't come. He gave a sigh before waving his hand dismissively and heading to the room he shared with Seungri. He needed to talk to the younger boy, possibly apologize a few times over for how testy he was being the entire day. No one deserved to be told they weren't good enough.

Seungri was already curled up in bed, facing the wall, when the leader entered. Jiyong cleared his throat, hoping to get the younger boy's attention, but the maknae didn't move. So he strode closer, crawling onto the bed, feeling the mattress sink under his weight as he climbed in. Placing a hand on Seungri's shoulder, he gave the boy a gentle shake.

"Hey."

"Leave me alone, hyung," the younger boy's words were soft, a quiet rasp.

"Seungri..."

"Stop it."

"Come on, look at me. Please."

The maknae hesitantly turned, looking up at the leader. Seeing Seungri's face only made Jiyong feel worse about the words he had said earlier, suddenly realizing with more clarity than he had before how hurtful he had been being. The younger boy's eyes were red and puffy, rimmed with tears. He had obviously been crying or, at least, had been trying to keep himself from doing so in the moments before the leader walked in.

Jiyong pulled Seungri into a tight hug, "I'm so sorry."

"Why did you have to be so mean?" the younger boy asked, sniffling.

"I didn't mean it. I really didn't."

Jiyong felt the other boy nod against his shoulder, but he refused to let go. For a moment, when they hugged like that, allowing him to feel the warmth and solidness of his maknae, everything felt normal. Everything felt as it should be, him and his teammates, together in their dorm, settling in for the night just like they always did after a hard day.

So he held onto Seungri and kept whispering, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

-

There had been a loud knocking - pounding - on the front door that woke them all.

Jiyong jolted up in bed and looked about his room, squinting against the first rays of light that filtered in through the window. Seungri was doing the same, rubbing his tired eyes, blinking up at the leader with a confused look. Without another word, Jiyong simply threw his arm around the maknae's waist and pulled them both back onto the mattress.

It was too early and they needed the extra sleep. As far as he was concerned, someone else could get the door.

Another knock, this time closer, made Jiyong grunt in frustration. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to ignore whoever was trying to gain access to his room. He just wanted to sleep.

"Ji," a hand was shaking him.

"What?!" he exclaimed, sitting up in bed so fast Seungri yelped in surprise. He blinked several times before he realized that Youngbae was standing at the side of the bed. He rubbed his eyes, displeased that his head wasn't still resting on the pillows, "This better be good."

"I think you need to see this," his friend shoved an unmarked manila envelope into his hands.

Jiyong gave his teammate a questioning look. He could feel Seungri's eyes on his back, probably asking the same question he was. _What is this?_

Youngbae had obviously already opened it, the edges torn, ragged, and saw the contents. Now it was his turn, but he hesitated, not knowing if he wanted to pull out what the envelope contained. He gave his friend another look, but the older boy wasn't revealing anything. So, with shaky hands, he reached in and slowly pulled out the items.

He felt his heart seize in his chest when he saw what he had, he let go of the items in his hand, as if he had been burned, allowing them to drop to the floor, scattering about in disarray.

They were pictures of him. Dozens upon dozens of them.

Some were taken in rapid succession. Others taken from a view he couldn't even fathom how the photographer managed to get. They were all his private moments, either on his own or with his team, but the lens was always on him, his face always in sharp focus no matter what the surrounding.

The room began to feel smaller as his eyes scanned over the pictures, glossy and shiny. They were a violation of his space, an intrusion into his life and all of the moments he didn't want to share.

A single slip of paper fell from the envelope, landing face up as it fluttered to the floor. Three large letters, each one bright red glared up at him:

** I C U **


	3. Chapter Two

"Stop stealing my clothes!"

"I'm just borrowing them!"

"You should ask me, then!"

"It's not like you're going to wear all of them!"

"Both of you are being too loud and making us late!" Youngbae exclaimed, interjecting into the argument between Jiyong and Seungri, pushing the two further apart before they could lash out at one another. He turned to their leader, "What's with you?"

"Me?" Jiyong asked in disbelief.

"He's been taking clothes from you for how long?"

"You're actually defending him?"

Youngbae turned to Seungri, "And you!"

"What about me?" the maknae asked, wide eyed.

"You should ask your hyung before taking his things."

The youngest looked like he was about to say something, his mouth opening for a moment before snapping shut. With a pout, he walked out of the room to join the others who were waiting, obviously knowing he wasn't going to win this battle.

They also had a dance practice to get to and they couldn't be late. This was not the time to be fighting amongst themselves.

"Ji, you have to take it easy," Youngbae said, turning to the leader, "And stop snapping at him."

Jiyong frowned, but didn't argue, knowing, deep down, that his friend was right. Youngbae was always right.

"I know the past week's been stressful, but seriously, relax. Okay?"

"Alright," the leader sighed, "I'll try. I promise."

-

Youngbae kept an eye on Jiyong and Seungri. He knew there had been tension since the whole stalker thing started happening. Then YG insisted on additional security and forced them to start varying their schedule in the studio and company building more, which only added to the stress they were already feeling. Their leader, who was so used to patterns when working, hated the idea right away. It was no way to operate a team, a unit.

Youngbae knew his best friend would harbor a bit of resentment, whether directed toward their CEO or toward the stalker, he'll never know. But he knew that the bitterness would eventually turn to a burning anger, red hot and waiting to be let loose. Unfortunately, Seungri had a habit of walking right into that ticking time bomb because he seemed to have the worst timing - perhaps even luck - of anyone Youngbae had ever encountered. He knew he would have to keep the maknae away from their leader as much as possible so the kid didn't get his head bit off at every turn.

"Ri," Youngbae called the younger boy over.

"Hyung?" Seungri approached, a smile on his face.

"Come sit with me for a bit."

The younger boy gave a questioning look, head tilted to one side curioysly. Youngbae simply gestured to the free spot beside him, patting the wood floor. With a shrug, the maknae sat down, scooting closer until their shoulders touched.

"What is it?" Seungri asked.

"Wanted to tell you to stop pushing Jiyong's buttons," the older boy said, slinging his arm over the other's shoulder.

"I'm not pushing any buttons."

"That's not true and you know it."

The maknae pouted, his eyes watching their leader who was at the other side of the room, laughing with Seunghyun, "He always says I'm his favorite. Then he just blows up at me, like he hates me just for even existing."

"You _are_ his favorite. You just need to know when to give him space, which you're extremely bad at doing when he's stressed."

Seungri thought for a long moment, playing with the sleeve of his shirt, picking at unseen threads. Then he nodded, a rare serious look on his face, "Okay. I'll try."

With that the younger boy got up and went to join the others. Youngbae watched as Seungri hesitated for a moment before placing a hand on Jiyong's back to get his attention. The leader turned to the maknae and a fond smile spread across his features.

Youngbae felt relieved.

That smile was a good sign.

-

Daesung was sweating profusely as he laid on the floor of the dance studio, trying to catch his breath, chest heaving. He glanced over at the three that were still dancing: Jiyong, Youngbae, and Seungri. _How in the world are they keeping that up?_ he wondered as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. His legs and feet ached terribly and he was so tired he could hardly move his arms, let along try to be graceful.

He glanced over at Seunghyun who was sitting on one of the wall benches, panting, sipping from a bottle of water. Obviously, Daesung wasn't the only one who was exhausted and done with the whole routine. It had been hours and all he wanted to do was fall into bed.

"One more time!" Jiyong exclaimed, clapping his hands loudly to round everyone up.

Resounding groans could be heard through the room, even the back up dancers seemed to be losing motivation.

"Last time and we can all get out of here!" the leader called out, waving his arms and signaling everyone to get back into position.

Daesung got to his feet and took his place, dreading the next few moments of his life.

-

"Ah, that was great!" Jiyong said as they walked toward the garage to their minivan, "I'm really proud of you guys for getting it all down in one day."

"That was nearly seven hours of work," Seunghyun groaned, rubbing his tired eyes.

"I'll reward you guys, I promise," the leader said.

As they approached the van, their new security personnel, Mark, told them to wait for him to check over the vehicle. So they waited, the routine now just a regular part of their evenings. Once they were given the all clear, they piled in, ready to get home and rest.

"Should I make tuna omelets tonight?" Seungri asked from the back seat, leaning forward so he could talk to everyone.

"That'll be nice," Youngbae answered, smiling at the maknae.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Daesung agreed, glad to not have to do his own cooking.

"I'll help with the rice," Jiyong said, obviously still glowing from their great practice session.

The fact that the leader was in a good mood put everyone at ease, the atmosphere around them shifting into something far more comfortable than it had been for days.

-

Seungri's cooking wasn't exactly the best, but it was familiar and filled them with comfort. The tuna omelet was easy to make and relatively inexpensive, which was why they had it in the first place. They didn't necessarily have a lot of funds when they were first starting out. Things were better now, but once in a while, they still liked going for their staples, even if it was only for the nostalgia they all felt.

Seungri gave a playful cry of dismay when he wasn't able to flip the omelet in a way that made it look presentable. He apologetically handed a messy plate to Seunghyun who was giggling at the maknae's failed attempt.

Daesung grabbed a piece from the plate before they even made it to the table, shoving the food in his mouth, "It's still good!"

"Thanks, hyung!" the youngest called as he walked out of the kitchen with a tray filled with five bowls of rice. He placed each of them on the table and sat down.

As they all settled in and started eating, they fell into their familiar conversations with one another. It gave them a warm feeling of family, which was what they needed being away from their own for such long stretches at a time.

"Our maknae's really good at taking care of us," Jiyong said with a smile.

"It's my pleasure!" Seungri exclaimed, looking around the table, "My hyungs are very important to me!"

"Ah, Seungri!" the leader threw himself on the maknae.

The younger boy wasn't ready to brace himself the two ended up falling to the floor in a tangled heap of flailing limbs.

"Ow! Hyung!" the maknae cried, trying to scramble out of Jiyong's hold.

Then the others were laughing, practically doubling over as they watched the two rolling on the floor like children.

-

_He was trying to get up, looking for a way to escape, but couldn't move._

_Something was tethering him to the floor. He looked down to see that his leg was being held down by a heavy, rusted chain. The coils of links were wrapped up his calf, digging into his flesh, causing wounds to open and bleed._

_He tried to pry at the chains, but they only hurt his fingers, breaking the skin, his blood making the links all the more slippery. A loud thud made him freeze. In the silence he heard footsteps._

_Someone was coming._

_He scrambled, trying harder to yank himself free, feeling the bones in his leg cracking under pressure as the chain pulled tighter and tighter with his every attempt._

_"No!" he cried, tugging at the restraints._

_A door opened in the distance, casing a white rectangle of light into the room._

_In that instance, he knew he had to escape or he would die._

_Tears streamed down his face, his fingernails were snapping off, getting caught in the gaps of the chains and pain radiated up through his hands, "No! No! No!"_

"Hyung!"

Jiyong jolted awake, gasping for breath.

"Hyung!" a firm hand around his wrist made him recoil, pushing himself away from the presence so fast he fell off the bed and landed on the floor with a painful thud.

He scrambled up, frantically looking around the room before his eyes landed on Seungri, who was backed up against the wall as far as he could go, clutching his arm to his chest. The boy was staring at him, eyes wide, features full of worry.

"Ri?" Jiyong asked.

"You were having a nightmare," the maknae answered, "You were flailing so I tried to wake you."

It was then that the leader noticed the marks on Seungri's arm, even in the darkened room he could make out where he had struck the other boy, "Oh god, did I do that?"

"I'm fine," the younger boy said, but Jiyong was already crawling back into bed, leaning in close to examine the damage.

"I'm so sorry," the older boy said, gently placing a hand on one of the marks he knew was sure to bruise by morning.

"What were you even dreaming of?" Seungri asked, allowing the other boy to look him over.

"Can we not talk about that right now?"

For a moment, the maknae looked like he was going to protest, but he only nodded. Jiyong felt relieved at the silence he was met with. But then the younger boy was speaking again, "Hyung?"

"Hm?" the leader wondered if he should dread the next words he would hear. There was a long pause and Jiyong braced himself for an invasive question, because that was what Seungri was good at doing. "What is it, Ri?"

"Do you want to be little spoon tonight?" the maknae asked and Jiyong could swear that even in the darkness he could see the younger boy blush at those words.

"That'd be nice."

So they laid down once more, with Seungri spooning Jiyong, holding him close. And the leader felt comfort, knowing that his maknae would be there for him.


	4. Chapter Three

The five boys stood in their CEO's office, looking at each other, uncertain of why they had been called in. They weren't sure if they were in for another scolding or perhaps there were changes to their schedules. Their managers told them nothing on the way in, only stated that they had to be there and left them alone in the office, exchanging questioning looks with one another.

"What do you think he's going to talk to us about?" Seungri asked, obviously worried as he had been in the office more than once in the past month for trespasses he wasn't even sure how their CEO knew of.

"Don't know," Jiyong answered, looking around the room. He knew he hadn't done anything wrong. At least, not recently, "Have any of you done anything you weren't supposed to?"

Every eye in the room fell on the maknae who took a step back from the line, hands up in defense, "Don't look at me!"

Before any of them could say another word, Yang Hyunsuk entered the room and strode to his desk, where he took a seat and stared intently at the five boys who stood in the room. They shifted nervously from foot to foot, unable to meet his eye.

The CEO finally gave a wave of his hand, "Sit."

All five sat at the same time, like children all in a row, the anticipation showing plainly on their faces.

"I called you in here because of an incident that happened last night," the man behind the desk explained. His words were calculated, but soft, calm, as if he were trying to measure what he was about to say extremely carefully, "We've been monitoring fan mail for the past week and a half. Someone from the security team took a package that was supposed to be for the band when it arrived at our facilities."

The boys all glanced at one another, not sure of where the story was going.

"The package exploded during a routine check, injuring the guard and one of our couriers," the CEO continued. The tension in the room heightened with each word, "The explosion was small enough to only cause a few minor burns, but if this had been in any of your hands..."

The words hung in the air for a long moment.

"Does that mean-?" Jiyong asked, words trailing off, already knowing that the man before him knew what he meant to say.

Their boss nodded, "Same handwriting and packaging upon further examination."

"Oh god," the leader could feel his chest constricting at the thought.

This person that was stalking him, this sick individual who was trying to invade his life, was absolutely crazy - had to be.

"We've decided to move you boys in the morning, to a more secure location," the CEO stated, leaning forward in his seat, "We can't chance you getting hurt. You're my responsibility while you're here and I'm not going to let anyone cause you harm under my watch."

"What do we do until then?" Youngbae asked.

"Security will stay close to you for the remainder of the day. Start packing tonight."

-

Jiyong was frustrated.

As he threw articles of clothing into his suitcase, he cursed and muttered to himself. The change in location was going to wreak a good portion of the work that they had put into their schedules. Extra security was only going to limit them more in the time they had at the recording and dance studio. At this point, he wasn't even sure if their CEO was going to let them work a normal schedule, let alone what they had planned out in advance.

_Why now? Why me?_ he asked, balling up a shirt and throwing it into his suitcase. _This is so stupid!_

"Hyung?" Daesung peeked into the room, looking about cautiously.

"What?" the leader asked, exasperated.

"Uh... we were wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner," the younger boy said, standing in the doorway, one hand gripping the doorknob as if ready to use the door as a shield if something was to be thrown at him, "You know, instead of being stuck inside for the rest of the night."

Jiyong sighed, looking about the room he shared with Seungri. It was a mess and the maknae had yet to start packing, despite being told several times since they had gotten home. He looked back at his half filled suitcase, unable to bring himself to put more things in.

"Yeah, just let me get a few things together."

Once he was alone, he sighed deeply before getting to his feet. He knew why the guys wanted to go out. It was probably their way of trying to cheer him up since he had been in an obvious bad mood since the moment they all left the YG offices. He knew they were only trying to help, but the thought of the security team following them out, in public, wasn't exactly appealing either.

_I need to keep it together. This is for your safety,_ he told himself, trying to push the illogical part of himself back. _Can't be a leader if you can't get it together and realize that._

Jiyong joined the others in the living room as he pulled on a non-descript baseball cap, just as they had all been instructed to do, though he felt it made them all far more conspicuous than anything else by doing so. Seungri was the first to approach him, flashing his puppy dog eyes, trying to look cute as he clutched a familiar bright blue sweatshirt.

The maknae held up the article of clothing, partially hiding his face with it, "Can I borrow it, hyung?"

Jiyong's first instinct was to say no and snatch his favorite sweatshirt from Seungri's hands, but he stopped himself, remembering what Youngbae had told him previously. _You need to relax and take it easy._ It also struck him that the younger boy was actually asking him instead of just claiming the item for himself, this time around.

"Okay," the leader answered, feeling a sense of cheerfulness when he saw a wide smile spread over the maknae's features. Before he could allow the boy to be too glad for the response, he added, "But only for tonight and don't you dare ruin it!"

"Thank you!" Seungri hugged the older boy tight for a moment, nearly knocking the breath out of the leader, before pulling on the sweatshirt. The sleeves were just a touch too long, making the maknae look even younger, far cuter, than he was. He pulled the hood over his head, smiling brighter than ever, beaming at the older boys.

Jiyong couldn't help but laugh, throwing his arm over the other's shoulder, "Come on, let's go."

-

Jiyong had really hoped they wouldn't be followed by their security team, especially since they weren't going far, but the lead guard, Mark, wasn't about to let any of them out of his sight after the incident that had happened back at their facilities. The three men that were trailing them were wearing plain clothes, which the leader was extremely thankful for as it drew less attention.

"Ah!" Seungri's dismayed voice made them stop in their tracks. They all looked at the maknae who was patting every one of his pockets frantically, "My phone!"

Youngbae rolled his eyes, "You can be without your phone for an hour or so."

"I need to get it," the youngest insisted, still rummaging through his pockets as if searching further would magically make his phone appear.

"Stop being dramatic," Seunghyun said, taking hold of Seungri's arm to make him start walking once more.

"My parents are going to call!" the maknae explained, yanking his arm from the eldest's grasp. He put his hands together, pleading, "Please let me go get it."

Jiyong's annoyance softened at that. He knew that Seungri was close with his family and it had been weeks since they last spoke to one another. He waved a dismissive hand, trying to look casual, "Have someone go with you, at least."

"I'll be faster on my own," the younger boy was already heading back. He gave them a quick wave as he pulled his hood lower and ran at a brisk pace back toward the dorm, "I'll be right back!"

Jiyong turned to Mark when he realized no one was following Seungri, "Shouldn't someone be going with him?"

"We're supposed to be watching _you_ ," the security personnel answered. He seemed to pause, noticing the concerned look on the leaders face, following up with what reassurance he could, "He looks nothing like you. He'll be fine."

"Good point."

-

"So stupid," Seungri berated himself as he closed the door behind him, pulling off his hood as he made his way into the bedroom to look for his phone.

It had been so long since he spoke with his parents and the first chance they said they were going to call him he forgets his phone. He found what he was looking for on the night stand and immediately checked to see if there were any missed calls.

There were none and he sighed in relief, still feeling stupid about having left something so important behind in his haste. He would have hated to have his parents think he was ignoring them or too busy to pick up, something that had happened in the past and he vastly regretted.

A loud knocking on the door made him look up from the screen. _Did they actually send someone to come back with me?_ Seungri wondered in annoyance as he shoved his phone in his pocket. He couldn't think of any other possibilities as so few people knew where they resided.

"I said I'd be right back," he called out as he headed back toward the entrance. He opened the door, swinging it open wide, "You didn't have to-"

He looked up to see an unfamiliar man standing in the doorway, startling him, "Oh! Um... can I help you?"

The man was staring at him, as if just as surprised to encounter an unknown face. He wasn't saying anything even though it looked like he was trying to move his mouth. He just stood there and the maknae felt a shiver travel down his spine.

Seungri stood awkwardly for a moment longer, feeling unnerved, before speaking, "Are you looking for someone?"

Before he could react, the man was rushing forward, a hand grabbing for his throat. Seungri let out a yelp of surprise as he backed away, feeling himself lose his footing as he tried to evade the intruder.

-

"What's taking him?" Daesung asked with a sigh, one elbow on the table, his free hand rubbing his belly dramatically.

They'd only gotten their drinks while waiting for their maknae to return. All of them were exhausted and just wanted to get something to eat before turning in for the night, but none if them felt right just ordering when one of their members was missing from the table.

"We _should_ just order," Seunghyun suggested as his stomach growled. He hated being hungry, "We know what he'll want, anyway."

Jiyong nodded, silently agreeing. Seungri's tastes never really changed and they always ended up sharing their dishes with other another anyway. It would be easier just to order ahead of time, that way they can start eating when the maknae returned.

The leader stared out the window that looked down the street, waiting for Seungri to make his appearance. He could occasionally spot the plain clothes guards walking around the property, just hanging about. Their presence really did put him at ease, but something was making him anxious and he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"We should call him."

-

Seungri was scrambling on the floor, kicking out his legs as he tried to escape the grasp of the stranger that was grabbing for him. He cried out when a strong hand grabbed his ankle and yanked, dragging him across the hardwood floor. Those hands, grabbed at his sweatshirt, hauling him up into the air, his feet dangling.

"Why are you wearing his clothes?" the man's voice was frenzied, wild eyes searching Seungri's features.

The maknae kicked his legs as hard as he could, catching the intruder in the groin. His assailant cried out and immediately let go. Seungri landed on his feet, feeling a shooting pain travel up through his ankle, and tried to run toward the back of the apartment as the doorway was being blocked by the man trying to assault him.

_The bathroom has a lock_ , he thought frantically as he tried to head in that direction.

Seungri didn't make it more than few steps before something snatched his hood, the fabric pulling tight against his neck, choking him. He screamed, his hands instinctively reaching for the neckline of the sweatshirt. He pulled as hard as he could, trying to free himself. The sound of the fabric tearing was loud in his ears, but still he couldn't get loose.

Seungri struggled harder when he felt a strong arm encircling his waist, his heart pounding against his chest as he started to full on panic.

"You brat!" the man's angry voice was too close.

In that moment, his phone started to ring and he felt the man holding him stiffen.

Knowing that he only had one chance, he swung his arms out, elbowing and kicking to connect with any body part he could reach. He cried out, hoping someone in the building would hear his voice. With more strength than he knew he had, he tore himself from the man's grasp and ran toward the bathroom, his hands scrambling to pull out his phone.

Just as he was about to cross the threshold into the bathroom, something caught his leg and he saw the floor rushing up to meet him.

-

"He didn't answer," Jiyong stared at his phone, troubled.

"Try again," Youngbae suggested, leaning forward in his seat.

The leader looked out the window once more, trying to see if perhaps Seungri was already close enough that he didn't need to pick up the phone. But the maknae was nowhere in sight and the sense of apprehension that he had been feeling earlier started to build in the pit of his stomach.

_Something feels wrong._

He dialed again.

-

Seungri's head hurt.

He tried to push himself up, but a terrible of wave of dizziness descended over him. He laid on the floor, trying to find his bearings. He could feel cool tiles beneath his fingertips. His could feel something wet and warm against his cheek.

"You're not him," the intruder spat and Seungri felt himself being turned onto his back.

He blinked, seeing red cloud his vision. He slowly realized that he must have busted his head open when he fell. The strange man was towering over him, looking down at him with disgust.

"How dare you wear his clothes!"

Seunrgi tried to move, push himself away from the psychotic person hovering over him. It earned him a swift kick to the chest and he felt all air rush out of his lungs as he curled in on himself, pain radiating out and assaulting his senses. He tried to draw in breath, but couldn't do more than wheeze.

"You don't deserve to touch his things!"

Then his phone was ringing again.

His assailant looked about the bathroom, momentarily startled by the sound before spotting the phone where it had slid underneath the sink. The attacker's attention was pulled away then, walking up to the ringing phone and snatching it from the floor.

"Jiyong," the man smiled as he read the display.

Seungri could see light flooding across the man's features as the phone was answered. The boy drew in a shuddering breath and with all his strength screamed, "Help!"

-

"Help!"

"Seungri?!" Jiyong yelled into the phone. The younger boy's voice sounded distant, pained. "Seungri?!"

The others were standing now, staring at him as he pressed the phone closer to his ear.

"Ji?" Youngbae asked.

The leader heard a loud clatter, like someone had just dropped the phone. Then an unfamiliar voice was shouting, "Shut up! You shut your mouth!"

Jiyong felt his breath catch in his throat when he heard the screams that followed. His stomach turned when he realized it was Seungri's voice.

Without a second thought, he rushed from the restaurant, finding Mark standing by the door. He immediately grabbed the guards arm, trying to drag him in the direction of the dorms.

"He's in trouble!" Jiyong cried, pulling at Mark with all the strength he had, "Seungri's in trouble!"


	5. Chapter Four

Jiyong tried to keep his hands from trembling as he slowly drew in shaky breaths, trying to control the anxiety that was building up inside of him. He squeezed his eyes shut, but had to immediately open them once more, unable to stop himself from seeing the state the apartment had been in when they arrived.

_The guards tried to shield them from seeing Seungri when the ambulance arrived to take him away. However, Jiyong was never one to stay put and rushed forward, trying to see, needing to know what had happened to their maknae. Before Mark could grab him, the leader had already caught a glimpse of the boy they were wheeling out on a stretcher. The sight made his knees weak and he nearly crumpled to the floor, heart pounding in his chest so loud all he could hear was the rush of blood in his veins._

_Seungri had been mostly covered, but his face, bloodied and swollen was still visible. Jiyong hardly recognized the younger boy whose features looked so distorted._ How can this happen? How could someone hurt him so badly?

_Wordlessly, he steadied himself enough to get back on his feet and, filled with determination and dread, went up to the dorm, uncertain of what he was looking for. Mark was right next to him, speaking in a quiet tone, telling him that he didn't need to go in because the place was now considered a crime scene. He was being told he didn't need to put himself through the stress of seeing the state of the dorm over and over. Jiyong knew that he was being warned about  what he would see and how it  would affect him deeply, perhaps even traumatize him, but he was never good at listening._

_The leader simply glared at the man before him, in that moment, unafraid and filled with rage, "You weren't supposed to let this happen."_

_"I know," Mark said, his features stern, "But you were our priority. We were just following orders."_

_"That's not good enough!"_

_"There wasn't anything we could do."_

_Jiyong put his hand up dismissively, not wanting to hear more and  with a shake of his head headed into the apartment. He paused in the doorway, where the trail of debris began. Furniture was knocked over, he could see many of their personal items scattered about the front area, like someone had intentionally gone through as many things as they could before fleeing._

_Then he saw the blood, the long streaks that stained the hardwood floors._

_Unknowingly, he started stepping forward, eyes following the trail of red. It lead out from the bathroom where it pooled before being dragged out to the livingroom. Clear handprints were visible amidst the carnage where blood splattered against every surface it touched. Seeing the signs of violence made him feel nauseous, nearly gagging as he pressed a hand to his mouth._

_He could tell that Seungri had struggled against his assailant._

_Seungri had fought back and that made his heart swell with pride. His maknae didn't go down easy._

_"We should go," the lead guard was by his side and Jiyong couldn't speak through the anger and queasiness._

_He opened his mouth and the words refused to come. All he could do was stand there, trembling, until he was led away._

A gentle hand on his shoulder made Jiyong look up. Youngbae was looking at him with worried, tired eyes, "How're you doing?"

The leader shrugged his shoulders, pulling his feet up and resting them on the edge of his seat to wrap his arms around his knees. It felt good to be curled up. It felt secure and safe to make himself small.

"We should go to the hotel that's been arranged for us."

"I'm not leaving until I know he's alright," Jiyong's voice was quiet but firm.

"There's nothing you can do right now except take care of yourself."

"I _said_ I'm _not_ leaving."

"Seungri would _want_ you to take care of yourself." And there it was, the trump card that Youngbae knew would get their leader to move. Jiyong almost resented his friend for using that line on him.

"Five more minutes," Jiyong pleaded, glancing back at the door down the hall longingly, still hoping.

"Ji..."

"Please. I just... I just need to be near him a little longer, okay?"

With an exasperated sigh, Youngbae took the seat next to the leader, slinging his arm over the thinner boy's shoulders, pulling him close. He could feel Jiyong trembling in his hold. Glancing at his friend's face, he realized that the leader was trying not to cry, eyes squeezed shut against forming tears, lips pressed together, trying to not make any sound.

Wordlessly, Youngbae hugged Jiyong, held him tight because that was all he knew to do.

-

Jiyong couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried.

He tossed and turned, feeling too hot when he pulled the covers up and too cold when he kicked them to the foot of the bed that felt too unfamiliar and too uncomfortable. His entire body was restless, practically vibrating with nervous energy as the events of the day kept playing in his head over and over, like a broken record.

Everything just felt wrong, out of place.

He looked over, at the bed next to him, where Youngbae was sleeping soundly, bathed in a stripe of moonlight that bled in from the curtains. His friend looked so calm, so relaxed in that moment, breathing even and slow. Jiyong shifted on his side and simply allowed his eyes to trace the lines of the other's face, finding a strange tranquility in observing his best friend.

He wondered how the others were holding up, none of them having had a moment to speak before they were hauled away to the hotel, being pushed into their shared rooms as soon as possible. For their safety, the security team had said when there was protest from the leader.

And Jiyong nearly scoffed at that because if the detail had actually been doing their job, they probably would have been more careful. They could have prevented everything that had happened that night. They could have sent someone with Seungri when he broke away from the group and headed back to the dorm. _They could have - what?_ Jiyong asked himself, _saved Seungri?_

The thought of their maknae made his heart ache in his chest. He felt as if his ribcage were constricting against his heart and lungs, squeezing all breath out of him as tears threatened to form, stinging his eyes. It physically hurt to try and inhale, his throat suddenly feeling tight as images of Seungri being wheeled to the ambulance flashed in his mind.

Burying his face in his pillow, he tried to stifle the thoughts that were surfacing, trying to turn it all off, despite how hard it was. Slowly, he started to feel calmer as he tried to steady his breathing, eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the room, the quiet hum of the air conditioner, the soft breathing of Youngbae in the next bed, the soft sounds of the hall outside.

His phone vibrating on the nightstand made him jump, breaking his concentration as he nearly yelped in surprise. He internally cursed, pressing a hand to his chest, feeling his heart racing beneath his fingertips as he glared at his phone.

 _Who could be texting him at this hour?_ Jiyong wondered as he picked up the device. His brows furrowed in confusion as he read the name on the display, a name that shouldn't have shown up: Seungri.

The notification indicated that it was a photo attachment, several in fact. With shaky fingers, Jiyong opened the attachment and nearly threw his phone across the room, but his fingers were squeezing around it too tightly, his knuckles turning white.

It was a series of photos, showing a door with a set of numbers. Then, a dark image of a hospital bed. That one was followed by one of Seungri, laying unconscious in-between white sheets, bruised face bandaged and stitched which made Jiyong's breath catch in his throat. The last one was of a gloved hand brushing several strands of hair from the maknae's forehead and it made Jiyong clutch his phone so tightly he thought he would break the device with sheer force.

A text soon followed: **Why did you cry for him?**

His fingers wanted to type, wanted to respond, but his brain knew how irresponsible that would be.

 **Is he really so important to you?** The next one read.

"Jiyong?" Youngbae's tired voice came from the other side of the room, but he hardly registered it, unable to tear his eyes from the screen.

Another picture, this time of the hand caressing Seungri's face. Jiyong felt like vomiting as he started to break out into a cold sweat, beginning to realize just how close this person was getting to his maknae. Somewhere in the background, he could hear his best friend calling for him. He felt the bed dip, indicating that Youngbae was trying to get his attention, but his entire world seemed to keep shrinking. The only thing that mattered now was the phone in his hand.

**He doesn't deserve you.**

A picture of that hand around an already bruised neck appeared and it felt as if his entire world were about to shatter, fear and adrenalin rushing through him with so much force he could hardly move.

A hand pressed to his shoulder and, suddenly, he couldn't hold it back anymore. He screamed, so loud he could hear his voice ricocheting back at him from the surrounding walls. He screamed, drowning out Youngbae's concerned voice, his hands buried in his hair.

He screamed, hardly able to hear anything else, not even the pounding on his door, as his voice went hoarse and he folded in on himself.

"Jiyong!" Strong arms encircled him, trying to hold him together.

He instinctively wanted to keep scream, keep wailing, but all that came out were broken sobs as he tried to form coherent words.

-

Youngbae held Jiyong tight, pressing the thinner boy against him, wanting to comfort his friend, but felt completely useless when he would hear the small sobs escaping Jiyong's lips.

The security team had confiscated his phone when they realized what was happening, but didn't disclose anything to him when they did so, leaving him feeling out of the loop. The leader had tried to snatch the device back, protesting and wriggling in Youngbae's grip with so much strength it was a wonder Jiyong hadn't pulled free.

"It's a trap, Jiyong!" Mark said, gripping the boy's shoulders firmly, as if trying to bring him back to reality, "They're going to do anything possible to draw you out. You need to understand this."

"They're going to hurt him!" Jiyong shouted, tears streaking down his face, his words slurred against the horrible sounds that were coming up his throat.

And Mark had said nothing to that, except sigh in exasperation. Youngabe tried to pay attention to the soft words the team were saying to each other in low whispers, but he wasn't able to catch enough to make any sense of it all. So, he resigned himself to holding onto Jiyong, clutching the leader to his chest, hoping that his embrace would bring some sort of comfort.

But Jiyong only cried, lost in his own world.

"Watch him, okay?" Mark said to Youngbae as the security team started to file out of the room, "I'm going to place a watch at the door, but just make sure he doesn't try to do anything stupid, okay?"

And Youngbae could only nod, not knowing what else to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this took way too long for me to get back to writing. Slowly making my way through it again. Hoping to update soon.


End file.
